In these sluggish economic times, we might ask “When budgets are so tight, what is the value of supporting the cost of wildlife projects?”
Actually, wildlife viewing, fishing and hunting are big business. According to a Winter 2008 report from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife:
• Washington draws 2,331,000 wildlife watchers annually – both resident and non-resident.
• Annual spending in Washington by wildlife watchers totals $1,502,311,000 (that's billions folks).
• Washington ranks 7th in the nation in spending behind California, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Georgia and New York.
• Spending increased 53 percent from 2001 to 2006.
These monies are spent on travel, food, lodging, equipment and other goods and services. The bounty is spread across the state, especially in small towns and rural areas, lending an economic boon to many areas that need it.
Beyond the aesthetic and spiritual values we feel towards nature and wildlife, those critters also contributes greatly to our economy!
Julie L. (Hayes) Hopkins
Marine and Wildlife Biologist
Threatened and Endangered Species Specialist
Cetos Research Organization. 'Working to enhance and augment conservation and management of living marine resources through research.'
www.cetosresearch.org
Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. 'Promoting an accurate understanding of grizzly bears and their recovery in the North Cascades Ecosystem through community education and involvement.'
About Us
- The GBOP team
- The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) provides education and community outreach about Grizzly Bears in the North Cascade Ecosystem (NCE) of Washington State. This includes information about grizzly bear ecology and behavior, sanitation and safety in bear country, and policies associated with the recovery process. The project engages community members in a process of education and rational, multi-party dialogue that targets people living, recreating, and working in the NCE. It provides a non-advocacy setting for residents to make well-informed opinions on grizzly bear recovery, perceptions and attitudes towards bears based upon accurate information. Over the last two hundred years, the number of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) has declined from an estimated 100,000 individuals in the lower 48 to around 1100. The grizzly bear was listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1975 and six recovery ecosystems have been established since that time. The North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE) in North Central Washington is the largest grizzly bear recovery ecosystem. Less than 20 grizzly bears currently live in the NCE. photo credit: Chris Weston